


Relationship Science

by moroder



Category: Slime Rancher (Video Game)
Genre: Beatrix and Casey broke up in this one, Drama, F/M, Romance, Scientists don't know how to date people, but they're on good terms, just a bit, the summary is pretty much accurate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 00:24:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19712563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moroder/pseuds/moroder
Summary: Mochi grinned and brushed an invisible speck of dust off her shoulder. "One can never understand what the hell these weird men think about!"





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story has a wonderful podfic version! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yI9HGfFe9o
> 
> Viktor's Experimental Update is to blame for my death  
> _______  
> this fic also contains some headcanonish stuff concerning nutrition in the future  
> it's based upon the fact that Beatrix doesn't need to eat anything during gameplay (and frankly, sleep too)

Four months ago, as the spaceship capsule had just reached the Far, Far Range with Beatrix on board, everything seemed so infinitely hard. As infinite as the lands around her ranch and several green columns marking its borderlines. A step outside, and you’re ready to lose yourself and go down the Slime Sea.

However, Beatrix was not among people who fall back in the face of unknown. It was purely easy to turn her surroundings into well-maintained and familiar place. She managed to do that at home just fine when she owned that little flower store. Nevertheless, home always lacked something she needed.

That was the exact reason why she sat now on the front steps of her ranch in Far, Far Range and not that old osmium house in a small town on Earth. They probably stopped making houses out of osmium as Beatrix has reached her new home; but even though, she didn’t care. Her soul now belonged to this place.

Despite the fact that taking care of slimes and upgrading the ranch took almost all her time, Bea sometimes had some spare hours for daydreaming. To think about the past she left on Earth, on the dusty long forgotten flower shelves, about people who took her will to depart so skeptically except for one closest person. Beatrix didn’t expect that person to react in such a peaceful fashion upon finding out what she was up to, but nowadays, thinking it all over, she admitted to herself that it was the best way. She never wanted to hurt anyone, but living up to everybody’s standards was not among her plans.

There were enough people to take part in her life here too, anyway. During her first week, Bea managed to meet so much people that wouldn’t had ever visited her flower store, and everyone was so agitated to receive something, and not without payment! The feeling of being helpful was probably one of the best in the world. For Beatrix, though, it served more like a pleasant addition to her personal household. Spare money and contacts are never wasted. At the end, that was exactly how she came down to having three of her neighbors as pals, although only two of them could willingly admit that.

At the end, that was exactly how one of them had asked her out.

It surely did add some diversity into her life in Far, Far Range. Before, she would just talk to neighbors through video chat; their conversations were short and on the case and usually included only her callers talking because she rarely managed to put a word in. Do this, do that, and now I’ll explain why, then I’ll talk about my lousy relationship with my dad, and now I’ll get distracted by work and forget about you entirely.

That’s why it surprised her when the man behind the video feed asked her about something. Bea didn’t acknowledge it at first.

“Beatrix? Are you all right? Should I restart the transmission?”

“N-no, it’s okay,” she muttered, going through the last things he said in her head and desperately trying to remember the stuff he said the last minute. To no avail. “Did you ask me about something?”

“I wanted to know your opinion about personal encounters. Spending time together, free from mind-burdening activities...”

“You mean do I enjoy talking to someone in person?” Bea smiled. Of course, Viktor never used simple wording, everything should be strict and double-checked. She, on the contrary, was straightforward and talked simply so anyone could understand her. However, this simple-minded approach did not offend Viktor in any way.

“Correct.”

“It depends on a person. If I like them, I’ll talk to them in any given way. Texting, phoning, sending photos. Talking in person, too.” The girl shrugged; someone meowed impatiently behind her, and she turned around. “Look, Viktor, I need to go, if that’s okay. I have some stuff waiting for me… You can call me later if you have more spare time.”

The screen picture flinched for a moment.  
“There was a possibility for our conversation to end before requirement, but at this very moment the probability is way less than ten minutes ahea-”

“Viktor, if you want to say something right now – do it, You could say so much while uttering that sentence honestly,” Beatrix smiled patiently but it was obvious that she only had a minute or two to stay and listen.

“Yes! Alright!” He hesitated for a second but continued, “Will you go on a date with me?”

Beatrix opened her mouth to say something, but in the exact moment tabby slimes have finally breached through the barrier, and one of them landed directly onto the transmitter antenna. Video feed died immediately. Well, at least it saved the girl from extra embarrassment. She didn’t know how to answer. It completely caught her off guard.

The working day of Beatrix went on as usual. Collecting plorts, turning on some patch watering, powering up the drones, catching runaway Hen Hens… Nothing out of schedule. In the end, she could only sit down for a second by evening hours. Just seven p.m., and it was already so late that the local moonlike secondary planet lit the ranch with its light. It looked a lot larger comparing to actual Moon though; perhaps it was just closer to Far, Far Range than Moon was to Earth. In any case, the light of local secondary planet was still as romantic as moonlight was to an earthman, and it successfully triggered corresponding thoughts.

The last time Beatrix got asked out happened almost three years ago. She remained with that person until the very departure from Earth and throughout those years they had together, Beatrix was happy. Maybe not fully happy, but at least to some degree. That person hadn’t burnt the bridges between them and kept writing her through Starmail unlike some other acquaintances. Those who asked her out before Casey disappeared right after the first date, and only some mentioned what pushed them away. Some didn’t like her stubborn nature. Some got discouraged by her hiking hobby. And some were downright disgusted by her choice of hair color.

What was waiting for her this time?

Bea stood up from the front steps of her ranch, went around it leisurely and sat down at the edge of bright orange cliff, tumbling her legs above the Slime Sea. The open space looked borderless, unknown – just like the future brought by tomorrow day. But the lands outside the ranch also seemed borderless to Beatrix one day, and now she could easily say they were not. Maybe future was also way easier to rein in?

She shook her head. Maybe Viktor was still expecting an answer. Or that she would at least call back and say that she was okay and a slime simply damaged her antenna, not a giant lightning has struck her working place and destroyed Beatrix and her ranch without a trace. She began contemplating other stuff to happen to her and almost missed a video call; she barely made it to the screen and pressed the respond button.

“Yes?”

“Beatrix? Is everything alright?

“I think you’ve already asked that today,” the girl smiled wearily.

“Really? Perhaps. Our morning conversation ended so abruptly that it put me to a tense. It may be said that it even-”

“Viktor,” she raised a hand to prevent a word flood. “I will go.”

“R… really? It is not interference I hear, is it?” His voice sounded so unbelieving that Bea flared up. Did he expect her to decline?..

“No, it’s not. When will it take place?”

“When… darn. I had to mention that I considered the probability of success with this enterprise as below average. So my contemplations considering date and time did not make it past month definition…”

“Let’s have it the day after tomorrow in the evening. About six. In your workshop.”

“Um… yes, it is incredible, but your suggestion fits all acceptable frameworks!” Viktor clapped his hands excitedly, and Bea remembered his delight towards her patience and good results in gathering bug reports for Slimeulation. It looked like another experiment went smoothly, although no one knew whether this was the reason for the scientist's delight. “We have this settled, then. Goodbye, Beatrix.”

The screen went black; she sighed and glanced at the clock. Eight past midday. She had forty-six hours to get ready. However, that would apply if she knew what to do to get ready. She never prepared for dates in any special way; she would only take a shower and put on some neat ironed clothes – no makeup or perfume. Looking back, perhaps, it was partially the reason her dates went so lousy in the past until someone threw the prejudice aside. No one could take away Casey’s lack of judging a book by its cover.

Oh come on, the cover ain’t that bad, Beatrix muttered, watching herself in a tall mirror inside the ranch house. Sure, hands covered in band-aids, disheveled hair. But anyone would look like that in her place. Try handling crystal slimes without inflicting self-damage…

Looking over herself one last time, Bea decided that even though she looked awesome in working clothes, a date required something special. Therefore, she decided to ask for help of someone good at femininity.


	2. Chapter 2

Eternity must have passed before a settlement agreement had been reached upon the outfit Beatrix should wear to such an important event. Although this eternity lasted for only a few hours, for Bea cleaning out corrals seemed way less monotonous than choosing appropriate clothes. But it was her own fault; she has agreed that Mochi Miles knew way more about fashion than she did.

It almost came to Mochi coming down and bringing Beatrix to fashion stores, but Bea declined her suggestion, saying that Mochi probably doesn’t want to waste her precious time onwards. And then the proper outfit appeared out of nowhere: a light cream pink summer dress with white polka dots. It was tossed aside at the beginning but came into shot exactly when needed. Actually one could easily get lost in Mochi’s wardrobe, although it was just a ranch in Far, Far Range where she could hardly go out anywhere. It possibly existed for the exact reason to present some nice outfit to someone needing and good enough.

The cream pink dress, ironed and hung up on a rack, was way more prepared for the date than its new owner. It was t-minus nothing, but time slowed down incredibly, although it raced like a quicksilver slime during usual day's work. It often occurs that you agree to a suggestion, but as time comes, your agitation comes down drastically. Beatrix could feel it now like never before.

Nevertheless, she was a person to keep her word. That is why it was hard but necessary to suppress the urge to step down.

She took a hairbrush and started combing her matted hair, wincing from pain. She usually had no time to get herself presentable, and why would she do that for anyone? No person had visited her ranch during these four months, and those calling on video didn’t need her to look presentable. Done with her hair, Bea glanced at the mirror, and her hands reached for the everlasting band-aid on her cheek. Leave it alone? But it looked so… not ladylike, and…

She pulled her hand back. A small band-aid won’t do a lot of damage. It could even look cute. Her hands, though…

Bea looked around the room, and her gaze fell upon a fresh lab coat hanging on a chair – one of those she always forgot to take to her workshop and had to wear the old one corroded by chemicals. She didn’t contemplate it for long; the next moment the lab coat already framed her shoulders. Being creative is the core!

On walking to the teleporter to Viktor’s workshop, Beatrix caught herself thinking that it will be the first time through four months (and plus one year of sleeping on her way to Far, Far Range!) that she will meet a living person. Talking to someone face to face would never compare to a video call because you have to rely on connection stability and can’t even touch your acquaintance. In real life, however… Bea shooed these thoughts away and stepped into the portal. A feeling of zero gravity that startled her so much in the first time – and there she is, deep under the Slime Sea, in one of the most high-tech places in the world. At least no one has proved her the opposite yet.

“Beatrix? Is that you? I need just one minute, please grant me it!”

The voice sounded awfully close, but Bea obeyed and didn’t try to search for its source, standing by the portal. The workshop laboratory didn’t look much different: there’s the pad to enter virtual reality, some containers to empty your VacPack as you enter… However, Beatrix couldn’t help but feel that something’s changed. As if the lights were dimmed a bit, and the air smelled like not ozone but… flowers?

“Sorry for the inconvenience… My calculation regarding free time consumption failed me. Next time, everything will be carried out… more thoughtfully,” the voice stumbled as its owner came out of the lab and saw Beatrix. She noted to herself that Viktor had probably spent more time getting ready for the whole thing than she expected. The only thing to remind of the usual Viktor were his goggles that he seemingly kept on the entire time; and if previously the lab coat perfectly shaped his stature, right now a moderately formal white shirt and dark brown slacks did that just fine. If someone not acquainted with Viktor would’ve seen him now, they would guess him to be an ingenious scientist in no time; but anyone from his social circle would agree that Viktor looked a lot more human like this. Just the right effect for an informal meeting. So they stood in silence, watching each other in awe, before someone worked up the nerve to start talking.

“You look… Expectedly,” the man uttered, smiling sincerely. As Bea looked at him with surprise, he hurried to add, “Expectedly beautiful, I meant to say! I am still experiencing troubles formulating my thoughts especially if these are related to pretty women. You know, it is hard to articulate anything at all…”

“I understand,” Beatrix nodded, holding herself from chuckling. “You, though… don’t look expectedly at all, honestly.”

“Is that bad?”

“No, that’s charming. True true!”

“Charming… hmm.” It looked like Viktor didn’t expect to hear such words addressed to him, and he wasn’t good in hiding that. Frankly saying, he didn’t hide it at all. “Alright. Follow me.”

He headed back into the lab, and the girl was a little glad that he didn’t tape her eyes with a ribbon or something like that. She knew this place well enough anyway, and not a lot of local stuff could surprise her…

…save for, perhaps, a small table instead usually centered Phase Lemon tree. The tree was still there but moved to the side a little bit so that it could create a cover for the table.

“When did you find the time for all this?” Bea asked with a tint of amazement, watching the composition. “You’re always busy with something.”

“I, erm, can arrange my schedule according to a certain scheme, previously defined. If I had no sense of my own plans, I would not handle the program as needed,” Viktor shrugged but was obviously flattered. “Take a seat, and we will start our date.”

Beatrix sat down at the table, and so did her companion. Then the same thought came up in their minds.

_What happens next?_

One could crack up a joke and say, _well, it’s as far as I’ve ever gone! What_ _are_ _we_ _doing now_ _?_ Beatrix thought of some pickup lines that she learned from Casey – one more helpful legacy of previous relationship. But none of those lines just… fit. Fortunately, she came up with a win-win suggestion.

“What do you like to eat?”

“Hmm… Does this question require a detailed response?”

“No, not really. It’s a question of what you’d want to eat right now,” Bea smiled and nodded towards a replication machine. She didn’t like using it a lot as she usually cooked something herself and technological world they lived in allowed them to consume food only when you want it, not your body, keeping yourself always nutrition-foolproof. Though if you wanted something without cooking it yourself – be my guest and use the replicator. 

“Have you used this machine? It is defective, is it not?” the scientist responded with distrust, looking over the tin metal case that resembled a microwave.

“Yes, I have. It’s not defective at all, I just put some pressure on electricity cable and it’s working just fine.” She shrugged and typed her desired meal, instantly receiving it. Not very healthy, but it wasn’t something to eat on everyday basis. “Your turn.”

“Can I… have the same? I have never tried it before.”

As Beatrix set the table, her companion finally came up with an idea of how to spend a date. He leapt too far though and started speculating about fast-food and its influence on human health in terms of nuclear physics. Beatrix got used to weird talks at the table back when she was dating Casey, and it wasn’t the reason they broke up. So she simply consumed small yellow potato bricks and not really listening to Viktor’s contemplations. Meeting no resistance, he went on, and Bea had a feeling that he didn’t really have an idea of date talk topics; at least if you speak about science, choose an area your companion can add to.

“…so my position on this fact will remain stagnant. What is your opinion on that, Beatrix?”

She had no idea what he asked about; perhaps Viktor actually talked about something interesting and she tried to listen to him at the beginning… but there was nothing to hope for. So she didn’t think of anything better than put a fork with a potato piece into Viktor’s mouth. His face expression was priceless.

“You wanted to try it, right? Eat,” Bea said with a straight face. And he ate, because talking with food in your mouth was a bit hard. 

“Odd feeling,” the scientist spoke, eyeing another potato piece. “Cannot say that this meal is repulsive but something unusual… Is definitely there.”

Beatrix watched him in silence; then she moved away and stood up from the table.

"I have to go.”

“…oh? Is something wrong?” Viktor followed her moves and outstretched a hand in a powerless effort. “Did I talk nonsense?”

“No, it’s all fine… I really need to go,” Bea smiled as sincerely as she could. “Don’t have to follow me, it’s not a long way.”

“F… fine. Thanks for this evening…”

“Thank you too.”

Leaving the last smile as a goodbye, she headed home. Viktor said something more about leaving the table here to sit in the meantime; Beatrix wasn’t really interested back then and left without turning back.


	3. Chapter 3

In the following days, Beatrix kept asking herself: _what was that and what for?_ She couldn’t say she was disappointed about that date because she wasn’t expecting anything specific; Viktor behaved just like anyone would think him to behave, it was purely logical that he was always occupied with working and thought about it even in the meantime. And their talking topics rarely overlapped as they mostly talked about Range Exchange or bug reports from the Slimeulation. Everything was kept purely formal.

But it was _him_ who asked her out, not vice versa…

Beatrix even considered discussing this situation with someone, a close friend maybe… But whom? Only Mochi knew about her date, but Bea kept the inviter’s name in secret so that Mochi wouldn’t freak out. Despite that, Miles found everything out on her own and called her on the very next day: first, to resent on Beatrix concealing dating the exact Viktor, and second – to ask how did it go. Surprisingly, the second thing interested her more.

“Oh, men are all so weird! Take my dad, for example. He confessed to my mom that he wanted to marry her only after one whole YEAR of phone calls and letters! There was no hint of trouble before that.” Mochi grinned and brushed an invisible speck of dust off her shoulder. "One can never understand what the hell these weird men think about! Forget it, Bea."

“Well I don’t really suffer from it…”

“That’s the spirit. Maybe you’d better help me out with quicksilver plorts like in old times?”

Beatrix shrugged. How many times did she find comfort in working – even back on Earth when everything was falling apart? She sighed and glanced at her VacPack waiting silently. Well, why not spend some time with benefit?

“I’ll be there in a minute… wait, there’s a second call.”

“Okay, answer it and get your ass over to the Nimble Valley. Gotta give you a chance to earn at least some good money, huh!” Mochi winked at her and ended the call. The next caller’s avatar picture came online, and Bea frowned.

“Yes? What kind of slimes do I have to hunt this time?”

“Hello, Beatrix! I would like to ask a different thing… at the start.”

Well come on, get to it, the girl mumbled to herself. Her face expression must’ve been different from the usually affable one, because Viktor became a little more concerned.

“What is it?”

“Are you… feeling well? I do not mean physical condition, although that would also count as point of interest…”

“I’m okay. Working as usual,” Bea shrugged. “So what did you want?”

"To see you one more time” would be a nice response. “Discuss some music” – not bad at all. But Viktor was Viktor, and no one would take that away. The girl sighed under her breath from thoughts about the impossible.

“Oh… yes. Seven rock slimes and six quantum ones. If possible, please acquire the foll-”

“Yes, I will head right out. Anything else?”

“No, that will be all. Looking forward for your delivery! Goodbye.”

The screen went black. Beatrix looked around her ranch; somewhere around the corrals, she had both rock and quantum slimes. However, despite the fact she never asked, these slimes would most probably end up as test subjects, so she decided to get some new slimes for him. Harming her own children won’t do.

* * *

Beatrix could faintly recollect the following events. At some point when she was coming back, her VacPack battery failed during her flight from one island to another; such coincidence proved to be fatal for her jetpack. The last thing she saw was the still of Slime Sea, so serene and blissful, and her head was full of thoughts about how she risks her like for other people too often.

Death didn’t come for her. Instead, she woke up in her ranch house, in her bed; her VacPack and battered clothes were hung on a chair out to dry, and a handwritten note lay on the nightstand. Bea slowly rose from her pillow, moving a pink slime plush aside. Her head was buzzing, but it was about midday, the local star was already calling for action, for slime care. So Beatrix got out of bed, trying to ignore her sickness, and dressed up. Heading outside, she took the note and read it as she shut the doors.

 _Beatrix_ _!_  
  
_You washed up the shore of Thora’s ranch today. I was out to take a stroll, and what I see! Didn’t think I’d meet you like this. Well, I don’t really care._  
  
_We argued about where to leave you to get well. Thora suggested her place but I convinced her about home health aide and brought you here. Took a look at how you’re holding on here. It’s awesome, Beatrix! I’d never put it in a state like you did. Well, as a matter of fact, I would’ve done that if I needed it. Either way, nice work! You’re doing well._  
  
_You’ll feel better by morning, so get well and don’t lose heart. Falling into Slime Sea isn’t the best thing to experience, but stuff happens. Don’t forget to feed your buzzards as you get up, of they’ll eat you instead!_  
  
_— H_

Beatrix smiled upon seeing a familiar signature. For some reason, it was pleasant to know that Hobson, considered vanished without a trace, is safe and well and still lives somewhere… where the Slime Sea brought her yesterday. As he wrote, the slimes were mostly discontent and purred, eyeing fruits and vegetables right in front of them on the patches. Passing by the video transmitter, the girl noticed a bunch of missed calls but decided to check them out later as she gets things sorted out.

When all corrals were clean, all food sorted and plorts sold, Bea could finally get some peace. Head buzz didn’t go anywhere but constant work kept it drowned out. She leant onto the video transmitter, holding a tabby slime that kept trying to escape, meowing impatiently. Bea pressed the play button, and the answering machine started talking with messages recorded for her in the meantime.

 _Yesterday_ _, 21:01_  
_Bea_ _,_ _it_ _’_ _s_ _Mochi_ _._ _What_ _the_ _hell_ _?_ _I’ve been waiting for you this whole evening in the Valley and you didn’t even bother to call back and say you don’t want easy money today! That_ _’_ _s_ _not_ _how_ _things_ _work_ _!_ _Next_ _time_ _call_ _again_ _and_ _confirm_ _you_ _’_ _ll_ _come_ _._ _My_ _time_ _’_ _s_ _running_ _._

 _Yesterday_ _, 21:11  
__Beatrix_ _,_ _good_ _evening_ _._ _Are you okay? According to my exchange experience with you, searching for needed materials takes you no longer than four hours, when more than six had passed at the moment. This business is not urgent to expect an immediate answer, but your absence is a matter of concern to me. Please call back when you listen to this message. Goodbye._

 _Today_ _, 6:55_  
_Beatrix_ _,_ _good_ _morning_ _._ _I have outsourced this task to a different person, and they have supplied me with everything I needed, so you should not worry about your services being in vain. I am a lot more concerned about the state of your well-being and current whereabouts. The fact that you have not called back yesterday evening does not reassure me about your condition. Please call back as soon as you can. Goodbye_ _._

 _Today_ _, 9:02_  
_Bea_ _,_ _it_ _’_ _s_ _Mochi_ _._ _Where_ _are_ _you_ _?_ _It_ _’_ _s_ _okay_ _to_ _slip_ _the_ _call_ _at_ _evening_ _,_ _maybe_ _you_ _were_ _busy_ _,_ _but_ _it_ _’_ _s_ _already_ _nine_ _!_ _Call me as you get home, there’s some stuff about quicksilver slimes I’d wanna discuss._

 _Today_ _, 10:14_  
_Heya_ _Beatrix_ _!_ _It_ _’_ _s_ _Ogden_ _Ortiz_ _._ _Didn_ _’_ _t_ _expect_ _to_ _hear_ _from_ _me_ _,_ _did_ _ya_ _?_ _Everyone_ _’_ _s_ _on_ _their_ _toes_ _to_ _find_ _ya_ _._ _I called Thora and heard out your story, so I’ll pass it to anyone looking for ya, okay? Get_ _well_ _soon_ _!_

 _Today_ _, 10:16_  
_Bea_ _,_ _it_ _’_ _s_ _Mochi_ _again_ _._ _Fine, now I see what’s happened to you. We can hold off the slime talk until the better time, so just visit my ranch when you have the time. But it doesn’t mean you can slack off! I need extra help anytime and you need extra money. So get going, moving is living!_

 _Today, 10:17  
Beatrix, good morning once again. I want to express my regrets concerning your physical trauma caused by my request and ask for forgiveness. I hope your condition has improved as you are listening to this message. Oh yes, and when you have some spare time, can you please visit my laboratory? I would greatly appreciate help in debugging the Slimeulation. As you might remember, it does not affect vestibular apparatus, and you cannot be harmed inside of it. It is only your pride that may be inflicted with damage upon losing. I_ _will_ _be_ _waiting_ _for_ _you_ _._ _Goodbye_ _._

The message stream ended right here. Bea stood still, digesting all information and trying to get a better grip on her slime that constantly wiggled in attempts to devour delicious chickens in a coop nearby. Her headache and fatigue have magically disappeared as she heard a suggestion to enter the Slimeulation; she liked it even though it wasn’t much different from her usual trips to Far, Far Range lands. Time flew past her when she was bugtesting. However, during the last several days their shared business with Viktor Humphries didn’t tend to go well, and another one could also end in failure.

Despite her worries, everything that could go wrong during tests went just right. She felt wonderful while running and jumping around the half-textured world and came back with a significant maximum catch of one hundred and fifty glitch slimes. They turned into bug reports as usual, and after unloading them into collecting port, Beatrix called the lab owner.

“Yes? Ah, Beatrix, I am happy to see you again! How are you?”

“I’m fine. You know I won’t sit still for long,” she sighed, and the man behind the screen smiled at her.

“Many of Far, Far Range travelers are similar to you. I would point out that it is a trait unique to those who venture into these lands. I also want to point out that I did not sit still as well and was in the process of… a new important project. It is almost out of alpha and will soon be ready for beta testing.”

“Really? What’s that project about? Is it the thing you’re working on away from your lab down here?”

“Well… not exactly. I will show it to you as time comes. Now it is more important to process what you have brought me today. I have been continuing to monitor the behavior of glitch slimes. It seems that even without updating my Slimeulation code they continue to evolve! It will be exciting to see where their life takes them next."

“Soon they’ll crawl out and take over the real world,” Beatrix chuckled.

“Who knows, indeed, who knows! Speaking of evolving, I do not remember telling you, but my socialization project is unfolding and going well.”

“You mean, your social contacts?”

“Yes, that is exactly what I mean. I have begun a starmail exchange with an old acquaintance of mine. We have little in common, disagree on several scientific topics, she is very slow to reply and I find that especially irritating, but we both adore the same music. It is wonderful.”

Viktor went on talking about his social experience with those people whose behavior he didn’t try to simulate, including mostly women. And not a single word about their bizarre date. He hasn’t mentioned it at any time at all, like nothing has happened. Maybe he wanted to erase it from his life and pretend it never happened; but Beatrix sure as hell did not.

“Did you want to say anything else?” she interrupted the scientist, not willing to go through more info about strangers and choke herself with jealousy.

“Oh, um… Maybe just wish for our partnership to continue? In the matter of Slimeulation and glitch slimes. Your efforts have brought me very far.”

“Okay. I’m flattered to know that,” the girl mumbled, barely holding back tears. Before Viktor could ask about it, she ended the call and sat down in front of the video transmitter. A pile of manifold cubes lay on the floor by her side; Bea stared at them blankly for a while before bursting into tears, her face buried in her knees.

She overlooked the moment she grew searingly attached to someone who doesn’t really seek your company. You look out for his every word, rush for any missions however dangerous they are to gain his favour. But nothing changes. He’ll always find something more important to do. More people to meet. Even Casey stopped sending letters to her. Bea remembered about the tour and that Casey probably has no time to write anything… But it was so infinitely hurtful to be left alone in this exact moment!

Beatrix lost track of time and didn’t know for how long she was sitting in front of a video transmitter, sobbing and wiping her tears with jacket sleeves. The lights grew a bit brighter, indicating that it was already close to midnight. Suddenly, something amorphous, warm and very insistent pushed her elbow: one of the tabby slimes followed its owner into the lab and was now trying to console her. She smiled weakly and patted the slime on the head.

“You got out again, you naughty little pal?” she wagged a finger at it jokingly. The slime hid behind her arm; she laughed through tears and hugged the grey slime ball as tight as the pink plush in her sleep.

“Mochi was right,” Bea muttered along with peaceful purring. “Men are so weird. I’m also to blame with my emotions. How did it come to this…”

The tabby purring sounds soothed her and made her incredibly sleepy. She’d only just realized how tired and drowsy she was; before passing out, leaning onto the transmitter, she thought about moving tabby slimes into the lab just as an experiment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two parts of this chapters were based on my personal experience: knock-out during searching for slimes required for Viktor and disappointment over his other social contacts. In-game, the gender of his old acquaintance wasn't mentioned but for some reason I immediately thought them to be female. Jealousy, oh!
> 
> Also personal experience maybe includes choosing other ranch owners over Mochi haha. sorry quicksilver girl


	4. Chapter 4

“Beatrix? Is that a tabby slime on the ceiling lamp, or are my eyes already failing me?”

A week later, when she has already moved the squad of small predators inside the lab, Viktor paid a visit again. She noticed his presence from being here from time to time but she always failed to actually see him. Perhaps, she thought, that’s for the best.

Quite a lot of time had passed since she fell asleep in tears in this cold underwater facility; a lot of stones unturned, a lot of paper wasted. Bea often wrote something when her thoughts couldn’t find another exit, but even this poetic way of expressing sort of failed this time. Here and there on the ranch, papers were flying around, scribbled with emotional handwriting, until wind threw them onto the incinerator or into hunter slimes' corral. 

But work did its magic indeed. Soon Beatrix disciplined herself to abstract from Viktor and anything connected to him. Mochi was head over heels with joy because instead of Slimeulation testing Bea switched to quicksilver slimes; it didn’t bring much joy to Beatrix herself though, but at least it didn’t put her face to face with something she didn’t want to hear. 

Nevertheless, here he comes again. If avoiding someone was acceptable, escaping was pure cowardice. And Beatrix would never stand such trait in herself. 

“Yes, it’s a tabby. I moved them here, they like all this scientific stuff.” 

“Destroying video transmitter antennas for example?” Viktor chuckled, but it provoked no response from the girl. He squirmed a bit and fetched a cubic box seemingly out of nowhere. “I have finished working on the project I mentioned a week ago.” 

“Oh. What’s that, a cube-shaped slime?” 

“Ha ha! No, that was one of the older projects. It was a futile effort and… Excuse me for going off the topic again. Take it.” 

Viktor handed her the box, and she took it cautiously. It wasn’t heavy although it certainly looked like it a second ago. 

“It’s not dangerous to open, is it?” 

“Of course not! Furthermore, I have created it especially for you to open. It was a project of… personal matter.” 

All these talks about personal matters sounded extremely suspicious, so Beatrix hurried to open the box. Inside was a small device that looked like the portable Slimepedia a little bit; although this one utilized additional buttons for texting and some other unknown functions. 

“Is this… a messenger?” Bea uttered, not quite grasping the concept of why she’d need to use this device: video calls in Far, Far Range worked well enough. 

“Kind of. This is a device for instant messaging across distances slightly exceeding one thousand light years.” 

“So it can reach…”

“Yes, its range is enough to reach Earth. Unfortunately, this only works for text messaging because voice communication requires additional power. But this is only the first model; I will take its refinement from here.” 

Silence hung. Viktor waited like an A-grade student, ready to answer questions from the committees; Beatrix was looking over the newly received little machine and trying to formulate her feelings. Finally, she succeeded.

“But… why for me? I don’t remember asking about such thing personally…”

“Ah. This is where I need to show you something. Nice of you to remind me. Follow.” 

The numerous console stations were all in progress of various calculations but one of them was locked with a logon screen; Viktor unlocked it and launched the Starmail application.

“I have received several curious letters recently. They were from a sender unknown to me. I usually read everything that transcends the spam filter, so this sender had me greatly interested. There were four letters in total, coming at intervals of roughly twenty-four hours, and the first one came ten days ago. On the next day after I have invited you to an informal private meeting.” 

“And who was that sender?” Beatrix really wanted to say something among the lines of _“I don’t wanna listen about women writing you letters”,_ but kept it to herself.

“They signed as Casey. I had to read the first letter to make sure they have reached the wrong addressee. These letters were meant to reach _you_ , Beatrix.” 

She barely held the device box from falling down. That’s why she stopped receiving letters from Casey – they were just ending up at the wrong person… but from everyone they could reach, it was so fortunately Viktor!

“Honestly… I was shocked upon reading that first letter. I have never before read such kind words written to anyone. At some point, I have even started to envy the sender that they are able to express their feelings with simply written words – and they are still soul piercing. And these feelings were not towards just someone, but you! You who I asked out the day before. I did not know what to do. Cancel the meeting? I thought it to be unfair towards you. Women often prepare themselves for important meetings early, and you could already be in good spirits regarding this. I did not want to upset you.”

“So instead you chose to behave the least romantic,” Beatrix sighed. If not for the box in her hands, she’d angrily cross them. 

“I… I thought back then that such behavior will make you distance. At the end, it was my fault for making a mistake of trying to achieve more than a partnership with someone who was already in such a… charming relationship. So at the same evening I started working on an advanced transmitter that could send messages faster than Starmail. Instant messages would be perfect, but it suffers a bit of time loss nevertheless. I just wanted to make your letter exchange faster and safer by excluding the possibility for a letter to reach the wrong person. This messenger can only send letters to one person, and they can write to this selected channel in response. Everything strictly defined! Science is victorious.”

“You’re saying that… you decided to help me reconnect with Casey despite one thousand light years between us?” 

“I thought it was worth trying. Although this decision was not made without hesitation.” 

“Why… hesitation?” 

Though Viktor was explaining his well-doing without any problems, this question along with Beatrix’ gaze made him turn away. _One can never understand what the hell these weird men think about_ , Mochi’s irritated voice came alive in her head. 

“ _Why?_ Because my scarce vocabulary will never be enough to describe how sweet and amazing you are, Beatrix! I tried so many times by using a dictionary but it was just insincere, I needed to find the words on my own. When I saw you that evening, in a lab coat on top of a dress… My head just exploded with what I wished to find! But the scheduled behavior could not allow all of this, forcing me to suppress it. My scientific chattering incinerated everything that so wonderfully came to my mind. But a glance at you, and I can already feel myself… remembering.” 

During this speech, the scientist stared at anything but Beatrix: the Starmail terminal, the phase lemon tree behind her back, the tabby slimes jumping at close proximity of ceiling lamps. After an awkward pause he glanced at her again but looked away instantly.

“Oh… Sorry. Saying all this was not required honestly. I, um… You can test the messenger, it is all yours now, and…”

 _“_ _Viktor_ _.”_

Hearing his name with such a quiet and trembling voice, he faced Beatrix at once. With a smile and eyes full of tears, she handed him back the device box. It caused the scientist great confusion.

“But… what about…”

“I broke up with Casey more than a year ago. When I decided to depart and start a new life here. Yes, I’m still getting letters and reading them with tenderness in my heart, but it’s all past matters. If you take everything into present, you can’t move on.” 

Seeing Viktor’s astonishment, she put the box on the nearest table-like surface and made several steps towards him. 

“The present is right here. I don’t need a refined messenger. I need _you_.” 

Their height difference wasn’t crucial but Beatrix still had to rise on tiptoes to kiss Viktor gently on the lips who was still shocked with this course of events. At some point she thought that he’s changed his mind and simply doesn’t know how to blow her off; but it looked more like he was just experiencing an emotional overload. 

“Is it… _that simple_?” the scientist finally uttered, faintly registering it. “Just… a couple of words…”

“There’s nothing complicated about love,” Bea smiled, wiping away her tears. “People just tend to make everything complex.” 

_“Oh Beatrix…”_

The next thing she knew, he embraced her tightly but softly; she drowned in the feeling, partially forgetting that she had something to do around the lab and she came here for a reason… It didn’t matter. 

Nothing else mattered. 

“Beatrix… Forgive me for all the nonsense I caused. I should have told you everything. I think we should maybe try one more time with the date, everything as-”

A loud plop deafened them, and the lights went out. The slimes seemed to have completed their suicidal mission of exploring the light sources; the couple had nothing else to do but pressing against each other and looking around. 

“Beatrix.” 

“Huh?” 

"Could you place all slimes somewhere else, preferably farthest from this lab?”

“If you redirect Casey’s letters back to my Starmail.” 

“Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, tabbies...


End file.
